Nicholas Curt "Nick" Forstmann (January 15, 1947 – February 2, 2001) was one of the founding partners of Forstmann Little & Company, a

private equity firm A private equity firm or private equity company (often described as a financial sponsor) is an investment management company that provides financial backing and makes investments in the private equity of a Startup company, startup or of an existin ...

. After attending The Lawrenceville School, Forstmann graduated from

Georgetown University Georgetown University is a private university, private Jesuit research university in Washington, D.C., United States. Founded by Bishop John Carroll (archbishop of Baltimore), John Carroll in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic higher education, Ca ...

in 1969, and began working at the Morgan Guaranty Trust Company. In 1975, Forstmann joined Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co., a company with which he would later develop a rivalry. He founded Forstmann Little with his older brother, Ted, and Brian Little, in 1978. Forstmann's second brother, J. Anthony Forstmann, founded ForstmannLeff. Forstmann served on the advisory boards of Georgetown University and Marymount College. He also served as the

vice chairman The chair, also chairman, chairwoman, or chairperson, is the presiding officer of an organized group such as a board, committee, or deliberative assembly. The person holding the office, who is typically elected or appointed by members of the gro ...

of 1996

Vice President A vice president or vice-president, also director in British English, is an officer in government or business who is below the president (chief executive officer) in rank. It can also refer to executive vice presidents, signifying that the vi ...

ial candidate

Jack Kemp Jack French Kemp (July 13, 1935 – May 2, 2009) was an American politician, professional Gridiron football, football player, and U.S. Army veteran. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party from New York, he served a ...

's '' Empower America'', a

free market In economics, a free market is an economic market (economics), system in which the prices of goods and services are determined by supply and demand expressed by sellers and buyers. Such markets, as modeled, operate without the intervention of ...

advocacy group Advocacy groups, also known as lobby groups, interest groups, special interest groups, pressure groups, or public associations, use various forms of advocacy or lobbying to influence public opinion and ultimately public policy. They play an impor ...

. He also played a leading role in Forstmann Little's bid to acquire RJR Nabisco. Forstmann was featured in the book about the bidding war, '' Barbarians at the Gate: The Fall of RJR Nabisco'', and was portrayed in the subsequent film by actor Joseph Kell. Forstmann helped form the Inner-City Scholarship Fund of the Archdiocese of New York. He died in 2001 of small-cell

lung cancer Lung cancer, also known as lung carcinoma, is a malignant tumor that begins in the lung. Lung cancer is caused by genetic damage to the DNA of cells in the airways, often caused by cigarette smoking or inhaling damaging chemicals. Damaged ...

, aged 54.

References

Private equity and venture capital investors 1947 births 2001 deaths Deaths from lung cancer in New York (state) McDonough School of Business alumni Businesspeople from New York City 20th-century American businesspeople {{US-business-bio-1940s-stub